Tax Protest: Brick kilns’ strike continues on day 4

LAHORE: A strike at brick kilns continued for a fourth day in Lahore, Sheikhupura and Kasur on Tuesday. Brick Kiln Owners Association president Shoaib Khan Niazi said that in imposing a sales tax on bricks, the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government had abandoned its founder ZA Bhutto’s promise of shelter to the poor.

He said such taxes were being levied on the advice of the International Monetary Fund. The government should realise that the tax would kill the brick kiln industry, he said. On July 8, he said, kiln owners and thousands of workers would rally from the Punjab Assembly to Governor’s House. The kiln owners will meet in Lahore on July 10, Niazi said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2011.